MetroAccess revises No-Show/Late Cancellation policy
MetroAccess recently revised its No-Show/Late Cancellation Policy as part of our ongoing commitment to increased efficiency and customer satisfaction. In accordance with the new policy, service will be suspended for customers who book trips and then repeatedly fail to board the vehicle, and/or cancel trips less than two hours before the pick-up window. Your adherence to the policy benefits all customers since no-shows and late cancellations prevent other customers from receiving timely service.
All MetroAccess customers were mailed a letter with a copy of the new policy. If you did not receive the letter and would like MetroAccess to mail you a copy, please call 301-562-5360 and select option 5.
No-Show/Late Cancellation Policy Effective May 1, 2009
Definitions
	A “No-Show” occurs when a customer does not board the vehicle within five minutes of the vehicle’s arrival within the 30-minute pick-up window. Each no-show is counted as one (1) penalty point.
	A “Late Cancellation” occurs when a customer cancels a trip less than two hours before the start of the 30-minute pick-up window. Each late cancellation is counted as one-half (½) a penalty point.
In any calendar month, any customer who has booked ten (10) trips or more and has “no-showed” or “late cancelled” at least 10% of these trips will receive a suspension notice.*  Additionally, to ensure that only habitual offenders are suspended, a customer will have to accumulate three (3) or more penalty points to receive a suspension.
A customer will be subject to suspension only if both the minimum number of trips booked and the minimum number of penalty points are reached during the calendar month.
All suspension periods will begin on a Monday. The length of a customer’s suspension will adhere to the following schedule:
Violation			Length of suspension
First violation
in the calendar year 	Warning letter
Second violation 		7 days   (1 week)
Third violation		14 days (2 weeks)
Fourth violation		21 days (3 weeks)
Fifth and subsequent
violations			28 days (4 weeks)
*A trip cancelled in accordance with our policy, (i.e., more than two hours before the start of the pick-up window), will not be counted in the total number of trips booked, nor will it receive penalty points.
EZ-Pay allows MetroAccess customers to prepay for trips
MetroAccess now makes it easier than ever for customers to pay their fare. With EZ-Pay and a credit/debit card, customers can prepay their MetroAccess fare by phone or the Internet. You can also review your trip history online, and any free trips that you receive will be credited to your account electronically. You’ll never have to carry postcards or pay with cash or tokens again. You can still pay with cash, but with the convenience and security of EZ-Pay, why would you want to? Simply prepay with EZ-Pay, then show your MetroAccess photo ID to the driver when you board the vehicle.
With EZ-Pay, you can add money to your account whenever you want and keep track of the balance on your account, the trips you’ve taken and the trips you’ve scheduled. MetroAccess customer service representatives can also provide you with account information when you call to schedule a trip.
If you receive a transit benefit through your employer and your employer participates in SmartBenefits®, you can now direct your monthly transit benefit to MetroAccess. At the beginning of each month, you can call or login to your EZ-Pay account to review your balance and transaction history. To participate in SmartBenefits®, you must have a registered SmarTrip® card and you must be enrolled in your employer’s SmartBenefits® program. For more information, call 202-962-1326 and select option 3.
How to use your MetroAccess EZ-Pay account
By phone:
1.	Call MetroAccess at 301-562-5360, select option 6, then option 4 for your EZ-Pay account.
2.	You will be forwarded to the EZ-Pay system where you will be prompted to login. Your login information is the same as the InstantAccess system.
	Enter your MetroAccess customer ID, followed by the # key.
	Enter your MetroAccess password followed by the # key. Your default password is your eight-digit date of birth.
3.	Once your login is confirmed, the system will announce your MetroAccess EZ-Pay account balance. Please note that the balance reflects trips booked but not yet taken.
4.	Press 1 or say “add value” to add value to your EZ-Pay account using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card.
5.	Press 2 or say “balance” to hear your EZ-Pay account balance.
6.	Press 0 or say “customer service” to return to the MetroAccess Call Center.
By Internet:
1.	Go to MetroOpensDoors.com, scroll over Accessibility on the top menu bar and then click on MetroAccess. Or type this URL into your web browser: http://www.wmata.com/accessibility/metroaccess_service/.
2.	Select the link at the bottom of the page to Login to Your MetroAccess EZ-Pay Account.
3.	Your login information is the same as the InstantAccess system. Your login is your MetroAccess customer ID number. Your default password is your eight-digit date of birth.
4.	Once you’ve successfully logged in, select from the following options: View Balance, View Transactions, Add Value or Log Out.
5.	Select View Balance to display the current balance on your account. Please note that the balance reflects trips that have been booked but not yet taken. When you book a trip, the amount of the fare will be deducted from the balance at that time. If you subsequently cancel the trip, the fare will be automatically refunded to your account immediately.
6.	Select View Transactions and then enter a date range to display a description of your transactions. Please note that the balance reflects trips that have been booked but not yet taken. Also, keep in mind that the transaction date is the date you booked the trip. To view booked trips that have been cancelled, select the “Display all transactions” checkbox.
7.	Select Add Value to add value to your EZ-Pay account using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card. Enter the value you want to add, your credit card information and billing address. Once you complete the purchase, the value will appear immediately in your transactions list.
8.	When you are finished adding value to your EZ-Pay account or reviewing your account balance and transactions, click Log Out.
Meet Metro’s Travel Trainers
Metro offers free Metrobus and Metrorail orientations to help customers with disabilities and senior citizens learn about the accessibility features of the Metro system and how to travel independently. Any of the following Metro orientation specialists are available to provide one-on-one or group training to help you try out the bus and rail system in a relaxed, comfortable way.
During the orientations, you will learn everything from how to locate Metrobus stops and Metrorail stations to purchasing a farecard and navigating the system. Training sessions are tailored to the specific needs of an individual or group, so let us know how we can assist you. 
To arrange for a free Metro system orientation or for more information, please call Metro’s Office of ADA Programs at 202-962-1558, TTY 202-962-2033, or e-mail adap@wmata.com.
Brigid Doherty
Area of expertise: Working with people who are blind or have low vision
“For people who are blind or who have low vision, the ability to travel independently is sometimes a skill that needs to be relearned. Thanks to Metrobus and Metrorail, we have the ability to get to our jobs, run errands and take advantage of the many cultural events our area offers. If you would like to become more comfortable traveling within the Metro system, working with a travel trainer can provide you with time, practice and some tips to help you traveling safely and independently.”
Travel tip: Don’t be shy! Sometimes the best way to get information while traveling within the Metro system is to simply ask a Metro employee or a fellow passenger.
Cherie Leporatti
Area of expertise: Providing travel training for people with physical, intellectual and
emotional disabilities
“I customize my training to meet each person’s individual needs. Some individuals benefit from a quick follow up the next week or month to work on specific areas or verbal instructions or cues to help them while traveling independently. Others benefit from breaking the plan down into smaller parts first, focusing on just bus and then introducing rail.
Travel tip: Make a travel plan. If you plan to travel by bus or rail go to Metro’s Web site, www.wmata.com, and use the Trip Planner. Plan for your destination and your return trip. Print out the directions or write them down. If you lose your way, you can show this to any Metro staff person and ask for help.
Reginald Ward
Area of expertise: Working with senior citizens
My primary focus is to provide outreach to all of the senior citizens in the Washington Metropolitan area and make sure they are comfortable using our services. I provide travel training to any senior who requests my service. 
Travel tip: My advice to anyone just beginning to use the bus or rail service is to always think about safety first when planning your trip. 
Learning a new route between work and home
Jane Sheehan likes the freedom she has to take Metro where she needs to go. She has been using the bus and rail system for more than 30 years.
In December, Jane asked for a Metro travel trainer to help her learn a new route between her job in Northwest Washington, DC, and her home in Montgomery County. She got a new guide dog, Nugget, and also needed to teach him how to navigate the Metro system.
For the past few months, Jane has been meeting with Brigid Doherty, a Metro system orientation specialist, to map out the best route from her office to the Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station and then home. 
With the travel training she received, Jane now commutes home every day via fixed route service. She and her guide dog walk six blocks from her office to the Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station. She then takes a Green Line train to Fort Totten where she transfers to a Red Line train to Glenmont. From Glenmont, Jane catches a Montgomery County Ride On bus, which drops her off within a few blocks of her home.
“Learning to use the bus and rail system gave me a lot of independence,” said Jane. “I can come and go when I please. If there’s an emergency at home and I need to leave work, I know I can.” 
Jane also takes MetroAccess for occasional trips to places she doesn’t go to frequently, like the doctor or veterinarian’s office. “For blind people, MetroAccess is good for occasional trips that you don’t do all the time,” Jane said. “There’s no reason to learn a route to a place you only go to every six months or year. But with things you do every day like going to work, you can learn routes and remember them.”
To take advantage of the free travel training that Metro offers, call Metro’s Office of ADA Programs at 202-962-1558 (TTY 202-962-2033) or e-mail adap@wmata.com.
Metro to launch priority seating campaign on Metrorail
This spring Metro will launch a public awareness campaign aimed at reminding Metrorail riders that priority seats are meant for people with disabilities and senior citizens. 
As part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), public transit authorities are required to make priority seating available for people with disabilities and senior citizens. Metro has complied with this law since its inception and is considered one of the most accessible transit systems in the world.
While the ADA requires Metro to provide priority seating, it does not allow Metro to enforce it because not all disabilities are visible. Signs are located near priority seating to remind all customers that those seats are meant for people with disabilities and senior citizens. 
The campaign to increase awareness about priority seating will include installation of new signs inside Metrorail cars to make priority seats more obvious to the general public, placement of ads onboard trains and inside the Metrorail system, and announcements on trains and inside Metrorail stations.
Changes to MetroAccess InstantAccess, ‘Where’s My Ride’ information
On March 16, in an effort to provide more accurate information to our customers, changes were made to information provided by “Where’s My Ride” agents and the MetroAccess InstantAccess automated phone system.
	Provider information is subject to change and is only available after a vehicle arrives at your pick-up location. This ensures only accurate information is given to customers. Provider information is included on automated arrival calls.
	If you call during your pick-up window and the vehicle is running late, “Where’s My Ride” agents will contact the driver for an estimated time of arrival.
Independent review finds significant progress in MetroAccess service
Metro has made significant progress during the last two years in addressing MetroAccess service quality and management, according to a report released in November by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board.
While challenges still remain for Metro’s service for people whose disabilities prevent them from using Metrobus or Metrorail, the independent review found that Metro has made considerable improvements in the following areas:
	MetroAccess on-time performance (for pick-ups, missed trips and no-shows) has improved over the last year.
	Staffing levels for reservationists, schedulers, dispatchers and contract monitoring has vastly improved since 2006.
	Customer complaints are being tracked and responded to more efficiently.
	Metro is doing a better job communicating with customers about MetroAccess policies like the move to door-to-door service.
“We heard from riders while doing the review, and they are noticing improvements,” said Wendy Klancher, Senior Transportation Planner for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which commissioned the report.
The report gave Metro high marks for expanding the MetroAccess fleet, increasing staff for operations and contract oversight, increasing the integrity of data, successfully implementing door-to-door service and adhering to on-time performance standards.
MetroAccess ridership expected to grow substantially during next five years
Metro officials are expecting major growth in MetroAccess ridership during the next five years due to substantial investments in the service for people whose disabilities prevent them from using Metrobus or Metrorail.
According to a study of MetroAccess ridership trends, demand for the service could grow anywhere from 50 to 100 percent by 2013. Ridership is already up 20 percent on average in the first quarter of FY 2009. Last year, ridership was 16 percent higher than the previous year.
“MetroAccess has become more attractive to riders as a result of substantial investments in the service,” said Christian T. Kent, Metro’s Assistant General Manager of Access Services.
Economic conditions are also a factor driving up ridership, with an increase in the number of senior citizens and people with disabilities and more people choosing public transportation as a more cost-effective alternative to driving.
 To help manage the rapid increase in demand, Metro is working with its community partners to promote travel training and Metro’s free ride and reduced fare programs to encourage people with disabilities and senior citizens to try Metrobus or Metrorail.
“We plan to strengthen the eligibility certification process to place more emphasis on fixed-route transportation options and less on assessments for people whose ability to use bus or rail is unlikely to change,” Kent said. Metro also will be working with its jurisdictional partners to identify bus stops throughout the region that are inaccessible and preventing people with disabilities from reaching fixed-route bus or rail services.
Nominations for 2009
Richard W. Heddinger Accessible Transportation Award
Metro’s Department of Access Services and the Accessibility Advisory Committee are seeking nominations for the 2009 Richard W. Heddinger Accessible Transportation Award. The award honors a person or organization whose efforts have resulted in significant improvements to accessible public transportation services for people with disabilities.
Nominations are being accepted through Monday, June 1, and the award recipient will be announced this summer. The award honors former Accessibility Advisory Committee Chair Richard W. Heddinger for his lifelong commitment to accessible public transportation and his tireless devotion to providing access for all citizens of the Washington metropolitan area.
To obtain a nomination form and additional information, contact Rikki Epstein in Metro’s Office of ADA Programs at 202-962-1125 (TTY 202-962-2033) or e-mail repstein@wmata.com.
MetroAccess and Customer Service offices to relocate to Hyattsville 
Metro’s Office of Customer Service and MetroAccess Services will move to new offices at 6505 Belcrest Road in Hyattsville, Md. The 10-year, $10 million lease is expected to save Metro nearly $6 million over 10 years compared with the renewal rate for the office space in Silver Spring. The 10-year lease for the Colesville Road offices used by Customer Service, including Lost & Found, and MetroAccess expires in September.
The Hyattsville building offers limited free parking in an adjacent parking lot and free shuttle service from the Prince George’s Plaza Metrorail station during normal business hours for Metro employees and customers who need to access the building. 
The Belcrest Road property is located across from the Prince George’s Plaza Metrorail station at University Town Center, a mixed-use development. Metrobus routes C4, F6, F8, R3 and R4, as well as Prince George’s County The Bus, stop in front of the building entrance.
MetroAccess customers ride free on Metrobus and Metrorail
All MetroAccess customers with a valid MetroAccess ID (and one companion) may ride for free on Metrorail, Metrobus and other regional transit providers. The benefit of using Metro and other transit systems is that you do not need to schedule rides in advance. This gives you the flexibility to come and go as you please. In addition to Metrorail and Metrobus, MetroAccess customers can ride free of charge on DC Circulator, Montgomery County Ride On, City of Falls Church GEORGE, Fairfax Connector, Prince George’s County TheBus, and the City of Fairfax CUE. For more information, contact the Office of MetroAccess Service at 301-562-4640.